After the last match, Reading the riot act - match thread

[Bruce Rioja]

Just saw the extended highlights - first I've seen of any of it. The Ref and the Lino on the south side??????????

[Il Pirate]

We could and should have scored at least 3.

Although we have 'history' with Reading (ha, ha, ha!); for me, they are like our new Trashmere.

The ref is the bastard love child of Barry Knight.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Time to try some of the kids I would say. We are more or less safe now as the bottom 3 are dire and we aren't getting playoffs this season.

Threlkeld can play right-back, Hayden White is another full back (left I think). Lets see what the kids are made of now we're playing Championship football next season, it's not really worth bring any more loans in with the 5 in the squad rule.

White is right-sided: a converted winger we're trying to make into a right-back. I believe Threlkeld can also play centre-back.

[officer_dibble]

Mmmm 3 points for wiggin. Hope we have enough fit bodies to keep us out of trouble. 3 wins and a couple of draws should keep us clear. A win at the DW wouldhelp a lot.

[Jonah]

That's a hell of a result for Wigan and two on the bounce . They could even put a run together . We should have enough about us to stay out of trouble but that late goal last night leaves that ounce of doubt . I've lost track with the whole loans situation. White is not a solution at present . He's not coping at lower levels . Threlkeld would need to have improved in lennon's eyes since he gave him one game then stuck a midfielder in his place . We need to e safer before we can be giving kids run outs in defence . It's a more pressured situation than blooding someone in a more attacking position . If mc n and wheater are out long term he may have to bring a couple of defenders in somehow unless feeney or vela go right back . We are all out of centre half cover unless ream moves inside or moxey neither of which will be good for anyone's blood pressure .
Slavchev looked like he might be able to play at the back from the clips I saw but he's hardly been in the picture so far .

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Wigan have already put a run together - one win in 17 games, Nov to Feb

It's like Bob Martin's still in charge

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

We've got enough senior centre-backs in Ream, Mills and Dervite. That means Moxey on the left but I've seen worse Wanderers at No.3 and Lennon needs to see whether he's worth a wage, or we turn to Kellett next year.

White's not seemed up to the job and Threlkeld was indeed quickly removed from the picture after Norwich (a bit like Spearing really, Lennon must have been on the rag) but as noted, at RB we might have to play Vela or Henrik Feeney. Seems like a long time since we were told we had a thousand midfielders.

[Jonah]

Ream is a great left back but makes an unconvincing central defender . Has the pace but not the strength . For me moxey is more of a centre back even though its not his position. Not suggesting it would happen but just an opinion . Feeney is now possibly our most effective right back but playing deeper we'd lose a lot going forward so looks like vela will have to do the job . If we are allowed one more loan maybe we could find someone who can cover both positions like baptiste ? Can we recall him ? Wouldn't even be a Loan and would have the added bonus of upsetting the dingles .

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Ream is a great left back but makes an unconvincing central defender . Has the pace but not the strength . For me moxey is more of a centre back even though its not his position. Not suggesting it would happen but just an opinion . Feeney is now possibly our most effective right back but playing deeper we'd lose a lot going forward so looks like vela will have to do the job . If we are allowed one more loan maybe we could find someone who can cover both positions like baptiste ? Can we recall him ? Wouldn't even be a Loan and would have the added bonus of upsetting the dingles .

Baptiste is on a Standard Loan (window-to-window) so we can't recall him now. As I understannd it, there has to be a recall clause (which Mason had but McNaughton apparently didn't) and it has to be activated in a window:

53.2.2 Subject to the proviso that the duration of a Standard Loan must be the time between two Transfer Windows, Standard Loans can be for half a Season or a full Season. Any recall clause requiring the early termination of a Standard Loan can only be included in a full Season Standard Loan and this can only be activated during the second (January) Transfer Window. Any other early termination of a Standard Loan must be by way of a mutual agreement in writing (including by way of a recall clause within the Standard Loan Agreement) between both Clubs and the Player but can only be completed after the expiry of 28 days and only during a Transfer Window (but subject to Regulation 53.2.3 below).

(For the record, the loan "window", which isn't actually regarded as a window in the League's rules, closes at "5pm on the fourth Thursday in March" – three weeks today.)

Ream: know what you mean mate but needs must, and I'd rather have Moxey LB and Ream CB; the American has tended to do better with a beefcake alongside him, so Millsy it is. Alternatively we could keep Ream LB and have Mills/Dervite central. It's not exactly bare-bones.

Unpopularly, perhaps, there's also the possibility of playing a back three, with Moxey and Feeney wing-backs... it might work better with Vela in the middle partnering Danns, giving Bannan more licence to create with ALF & AN Other up top.

Whatever we do in defence, up top we can perm two from ALF/Eidur/Heskey.
In central midfield, we've got Vela, Danns, Slavchev, Twardzik and Bannan.
Out wide, we've got Feeney, Janko, Hall and Rochinha.

Add in the four defenders (Mills, Mox, Ream, Dervite) and that's 16 outfielders – eight of them Lennon signings, six or seven of the others have been regulars under him (excepting Hall and possibly Moxey). We're not quite desperate yet, and as I say it might be chance to get youngsters on the bench.

[Jonah]

Must admit I'm surprised we just signed a midfielder. I'd imagine he will stick with dervite and mills and keep ream at left back . In theory reams pace should make him a decent centre back alongside mills but he has previously had a tendency to be easily bullied. He's looked a lot more comfortable since switching to left back where he can also take the odd risk and pass the ball to feet .
Baptiste would have been useful in the circumstances.
As you say could give the younger lads an opportunity . Still doesn't explain the signing of coke. Lennon must see something there that others don't .

[thebish]

Still doesn't explain the signing of coke. Lennon must see something there that others don't .

Coke? he's the real thing!

[officer_dibble]

Given the level of injuries is there mo way we could get the FL to agree to us having mote loanees in the squad as emergency measure?

Anyone? Barnetto this is up your street. Any precedent where teams allowed more loanees with injuries?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Given the level of injuries is there mo way we could get the FL to agree to us having mote loanees in the squad as emergency measure?

Anyone? Barnetto this is up your street. Any precedent where teams allowed more loanees with injuries?

Afraid not, in the current rules. I did answer... viewtopic.php?p=963083#p963083" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[officer_dibble]

Cheers dsb, missed it, age